1. Field of Invention
Embodiments described herein generally relate to switching regulators, and more particularly integrated circuit switching regulators which generate internal supply voltages for driving the power switches. More specifically, the invention relates to switching regulators in which low-dropout voltage regulators (“LDOs”) provide an intermediate supply voltage for driving power transistors under circumstances in which a supply voltage is greater than a gate drive voltage of a power transistor of the regulator.
2. Background Art
Various switching regulator arrangements are intended to be operated with an external capacitor to provide low impedance for driving the power switches. Such arrangements are inconvenient in part because an integrated circuit chip including the regulator requires additional pins for connection to the external capacitor. Furthermore, there must be sufficient room in a device including the switching regulator to house the external capacitor.
Accordingly, what is needed is a switching regulator that can absorb switching energy when driving the output power switches utilizing an internal capacitor without the need for an external capacitor.
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. Additionally, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears.